Lagrutta joins the Lancers

exeter – Exeter’s Alex Lagrutta played his last high school baseball game on Wednesday, June 7, when he took the diamond at Recreation Park for the East/West all-star game. However, that will not be the last baseball game of Lagrutta’s career. Three days earlier, on June 4, Lagrutta signed a national letter of intent to play baseball for the Mount Marty College Lancers.

“This is an opportunity that I didn’t want to pass up,” said Lagrutta.

After Lagrutta finished his four-year varsity career at Exeter Union High School, all signs pointed that he was going to go attend College of the Sequoias. At least that was until, the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) college came knocking. Once Lagrutta received an offer for a spot on their team there were no second thoughts.

Going onto the next level of competition there will be some things that Lagrutta will have to deal with. Such as bonding and being able to play well with a lot of players from all over the country. Not to mention the culture shock of having to move from warm California to the cold of South Dakota. But all things considered it should be business as usual for Lagrutta when he suits up in the blue and gold of the Lancers.

“It’s not going to be too much different,” said Lagrutta.

Maybe Lagrutta can feed off the advice from the only other player on the Lancers roster from California Christian LeRue.

Lagrutta plans on majoring in the field of biology while attending Mount Marty College but is unclear what career he will be entering afterwards. Perhaps another opportunity that Lagrutta just can’t pass up will present itself in the form of a professional contract.

“If I get the chance to play beyond this level then I will take it,” said Lagrutta.

Baseball and studying biology are the two main reasons that Lagrutta is moving to South Dakota. But there is another pass time of his that should help him become accustom to his new surroundings, hunting.

Lagrutta was seen playing positions all over the field after he was pulled up from junior varsity half way through his freshman season. He played on the mound as a right handed pitcher, in the hot corner at third base or out in left and right field.

On the mound Lagrutta’s best performance came during his senior season when he went 4-4. During those eight starts Lagrutta threw three complete games, including one shutout. He made five more appearances in games and got one save. All season Lagrutta pitched 61.2 innings. In those innings Lagrutta struck out 50 opposing batters and only allowed 25 runs. Of which only 10 were earned.

While at the plate Lagrutta had a career batting average of .340. That led to 50 RBIs, 21 extra base hits, including four triples and three home runs.

“I’ve had some good success and played in some great series,” said Lagrutta.

Lagrutta hopes that the good success follows him to Mount Mart College. Yet, he understands that there will be times that he’ll find himself in a slump.